Surya Sen Profile

Surya Sen Biography

Surya Sen was a famous freedom fighter from Bengal known for leading Chittagong armoury raid In Chittagong of Bengal in the 1930’s. He was a member of Indian National Congress and got selected as its president, Chittagong branch in 1918. Sen was a school teacher by profession who was fondly called Master Da. He was influenced by India’s freedom struggle movement while at college. ‘Do And Die’ is a noted book written by Manini Chatterjee based on the Chittagong Uprising of 1930. In 2010 a film titled ‘Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey’ was made in Hindi by the versatile director Ashutosh Gowariker about the life of this freedom fighter and the armoury raid, based on Manini’s book. Abhishek Bachchan played Surya’s role while Kalpana Datta’s role was done by star actress, Deepika Padukone.

Sen was born on 22 March 1894 in Chittagong. His father was a school teacher. He completed graduation from Behrampore College. It was during this time when he got attracted to revolutionary ideas of many freedom struggles. He joined ‘Anushilan Samity’, a revolutionary organization while at college. After graduation he joined as a school teacher in his hometown. Sen led a group of revolutionaries on 18 April 1930 to raid the armoury of police at Chittagong. Their plan was to seize the arms from the armoury and destroy the communication system of the town. Though the troop captured arms, they failed to get the ammunition. They also hoisted the national flag on the premises before they escaped.

Later a large troop of revolutionaries got attacked by British in the next few days. A few of them died while a few flee from the site. Surya Sen was one among those. He assumed many jobs to escape from British. Once he hid in the house of a man called Netra Sen. But Netra Sen informed the police and British captured him in February 1933. Very soon a revolutionary killed Netra Sen too. Surya was brutally tortured by the British before he was hanged.